I Miss You
by CelestialBlaze
Summary: When Lucy's mum's death anniversary draws near, the blonde is sure that nothing good would ever come out of the terrible day, just a whole load of bitter tears. However, can Natsu change that? Please review! This has been turned into a series, and is no longer a two-shot! Please continue to read and follow! DISCONTINUED
1. Chapter 1

**Hello everyone! For those of you following my KnT story, I have a bit of writer's block and this was just dying to be wrote- it's been nagging at the back of my head for ages! Anyway, here's a twoshot NaLu fic, full of fluffy goodness! XD Enjoy! Oh yeah, I know Lucy's mum died on the 7th, but for the sake of the story, she died on the 3rd of July and Igneel disappears on the 7th. i know it's not correct, just pretend it is for this fic please ^.^ I don't own anything, but I wish I did ;) **

* * *

Lucy opened her bleary eyes to see her apartment illuminated by the sunlight seeping out from behind her blinds. She smiled groggily, happy to start the day _peacefully- _or rather, without an unwanted intruder in her bed-for once. She woke up nearly every morning curled up next to the pink haired idiot. Honestly, he has his own apartment, why not sleep _there_? Did Natsu know _nothing _about personal space? Her mental rant abruptly ended as she remembered what day it was, and immediately a depressed aura surrounded the now disheartened girl. Today was the 2nd of July. To anyone else, this day might not hold much significance, but to Lucy it meant the world- because tomorrow would be the anniversary of her mother's death. After pondering her choices for a moment, she decided that tomorrow she wouldn't go to the guild as she didn't want to worry any of her new-found family members, and definitely not Gray, Erza, Wendy or Natsu. Speaking of Natsu... the celestial mage knew that her relationship with the dragon slayer had been a bit off recently. Whenever she was near him, she felt the need to get closer, and his toothy grin warmed her heart to no end. Yes, Lucy had finally admitted to herself that she was head-over-heels for her best friend- but she was too afraid to ruin their friendship to confess. Saving the even more depressing thoughts for a time when she was at least slightly happier than she was now, the blonde tried to get out of her bed to get ready. Note the word _ tried_. As soon as she moved her foot, it connected with a snoring lump beside her- apparently her earlier assumption of being alone wasn't entirely correct. Her unintended kick woke the sleeping mage next to her, and as he opened his eyes, Natsu smiled at her.  
"Morning, Luce! Did you sleep well?"  
On any other occasion, Lucy would have kicked the dragon slayer off her bed, yelling at him to leave her alone and go back to his apartment. But today she didn't have the energy- she just wanted to curl up and cry. But she wouldn't- she was stronger than that. he didn't know what tomorrow would bring, but today she refused to cry a single tear. So, she simply sighed and sat up.  
"Natsu, please leave. I need to get ready."  
She hoped she sounded convincing, and as the pink-haired boy didn't protest as she got up and started to walk away in the direction of her bathroom, she was quite content that she had. That is, until a callused hand closed around her wrist, making her turn around to face him. His intense gaze was full of concern and worry was etched onto his face, his brow furrowed. She felt her heart pang as it was her who had made him look

like that in the first place.  
"Luce, what's wrong? Why are you acting so sad?"  
Ah. So he had noticed. Was she really that obvious? She managed to pull off a shallow smile, as she reassured the fire mage.  
"I'm fine, Natsu. What made you think that I wasn't? Now, can you please let go of me, I _really _need to get ready."  
Frowning as he did so, it was clear that Natsu wasn't convinced, bit he let the matter drop and climbed out of her window to go and pick up Happy then set off for the guild. As Lucy climbed into the bathtub, she wondered how she was going to pull off being 'happy' all day...

When Natsu reached his apartment, he flopped onto the couch and thought. There was _definitely _something wrong with Lucy. His brow furrowed in concentration as Happy flew up to him, worried for his best friend.  
"Ne, Natsu, why are you so sad? Did Lucy kick you out again?"  
The said mage sighed and turned to face his blue companion.  
"No, it's not that. In fact, she was really nice to me this morning. But somthing's upsetting her and she won't tell me what. If anyone's hurt her, I swear, I'm going to beat them up!"  
He announced, slamming him flaming fist into his palm at his last statement. Happy smirked, seeing an opportunity to tease his partner.  
"You lllllllllllllllllllllllllike her!"  
Immediately, a rose colour blossomed on his face, leaving his face a slightly darker shade than his hair- then he said it.  
"So what if I do?"  
Happy reeled in shock. He was well aware of the fact that Natsu was in love with Lucy, and vice versa, but he'd never got him to openly admit it. He was proud of his friend. He smiled at the still scowling, red-faced dragon slayer, and for some reason, he thought that things were going to get interesting from here on. As they both began their walk to the guild, Happy let out a malicious smile, yes, things were going to get _very _good.

Lucy had already reached the Fairy Tail whilst the two were having their conversation, and was currently sprawled across the counter, staring at the ice cubes bobbing up and down in her lemonade. Well, that's what it looked like she was doing. The blonde was immersed in thought, recalling countless memories from her happy childhood, the part of her life when her mother was still around. Mira, Cana, Erza, Gray and Wendy stared at her from across the room. All five had attempted to cheer up the girl, or tried to coax out what the problem was, but she answered each one in exactly the same way, stating that nothing was wrong and that she was just tired. Lucy had stayed in the same position throughout, simply smiling at anyone who approached her- but it didn't even take an idiot to see that the smile was skin-deep.  
"What are we going to do?"  
asked Wendy desperately, as Cana took another swig from her barrel and answered  
"Well, I don't know about helping, but I always find that a bit of alcohol lightens me up!"  
Everyone sweat-dropped.  
"I'm pretty sure that's only you, Cana..."  
Gray retaliated, stripping himself in the process.  
"I do believe that we have veered off topic- only minutes ago we were attempting to find the reason that has caused Lucy so much distress. And Gray, get some clothes on."  
"EH?"  
exclaimed the said ice mage in surprise, before realising Wendy's presence and hunting for his lost clothes.  
"Ne, ne, do you think that Natsu and Lucy had a lovers' spat?"  
Asked Mira excitedly.  
"No."  
Everyone deadpanned, causing Mira to giggle guiltily and edging away from the group and resuming her post behind the bar. It was at this point that Natsu decided to walk in, still deep in thought. However, the guild doors seemed to have a magical effect on him, because as soon has he walked through them he grinned and greeted everyone.  
"Yo!"  
He shouted, eyes scanning the room for a particular person- he spotted her, and for the third time that morning his brow furrowed. Well, almost anyone would, seeing the girl they were in love with face-to-face with the mahogany counter. He made a beeline for Lucy, and Happy made his way over to Charle. Grabbing the stool next to her, Natsu collapsed onto it. He stared at that face he loved so much, the face which always had a caring smile plastered on it- but was now clouded with sadness. It made him want to cry. All this while, Lucy hadn't noticed the dragon slayer's arrival, so when he grabbed both her shoulders and forced her to face him, it came as a surprise. Despite herself, the celestial mage felt a blush rising on her cheeks and she fought to keep it at bay as the salmon haired boy gazed intently into her eyes, scrutinising her as if her eyes would tell him why his partner was so downcast. Finally deciding on simply asking, Natsu pulled an extremely serious face and started  
"Lucy. Don't try and lie to me that nothing is wrong- I know you too well for that, in fact, it's so obvious to me that something- or someone- has upset you that it might as well be written across your face in neon letters. Now, can you please tell me what's wrong? I can't have one of my... nakama upset and keeping it to themselves- we're family remember?"  
Natsu paused half way through his speech, trying to decide on what work to use before finally settling on 'nakama'- even though the miniskirt clad blonde meant much more to him than a simple friend. Lucy was touched by the honesty of his words and how much he cared, but she refused to let herself think that she meant anything more than a nakama to him, for that would surely only cause pain. She was at a loss for words, struggling to answer Natsu without worrying him.  
"E..eh..ano...y-you see..."  
She fought against the chaos in her mind, trying to come up with a reasonable answer. All the while, the dragon slayer's expression was getting more and more worried- what was so bad that Lucy couldn't even tell _him _what was the matter? It must be really upestting...'if it's someone's fault, I swear, they won't see tomorrow' thought the pink haired boy. He could feel anger boiling away within him, about to explode outwards any second. The celestial mage his stare was directed at still hadn't answered him, and a blush was forming due to the awkward situation. She felt so helpless. That's when Gray showed up, having once again lost his clothes and noticing the distressed blonde.  
"Oi, Pinky! Whatever you're saying's making things worse for Luce! Give it a rest!"  
That was it. His anger erupted, turning into orange flames as he turned to face the ice mage.  
"You wanna go, ice princess? I'm trying to help, unlike you who's just walking around in boxers!"  
The pair were now forehead to forehead, each giving off contrasting auras- Natsu's a firey red and gray's an icy blue. Whilst the two brawled, Lucy managed to sneak out unnoticed, unnoticed to everyone but Erza, that is. The scarlet haired warrior immediately pulled the childish duo apart and adressed Natsu, saying  
"Natsu. Lucy has just left, undoubtedly heading towards her apartment. Go to her. You're the one she needs right now."  
Nodding, all anger gone, the dragon slayer set off towards his beloved mage's apartment. 'Please be okay, Lucy' he thought as he turned onto Strawberry Street.

When Natsu reached Lucy's apartment, the said blonde was just coming in through the door. He was about to climb in, when he felt something tug him back down so he was hanging from the windowsill by his fingers. Turning to see what it was, his face lit up with a grin when he saw Happy flying next to him.  
"Hap-mmpphh!"  
"Sssshh Natsu, be quiet!"  
Happy had clamped his paw over Natsu's mouth in order to stop him from speaking.  
"Now, listen. If you just go in, Lucy will react the same way as she did in the guild- she'll never tell you what's wrong. But if we spy on her from out here, we might be able to figure out what's bothering her!"  
Explained the exceed as he slowly removed his paw from his father-figure's mouth. The boy's face was lit with understanding.  
"Ah, I see, but what if Lucy sees us?"  
Asked the dragon slayer, careful to whisper as to not alert Lucy.  
"Natsu. It's now ten 'o' clock at night and it's pitch black out. She doesn't have night vision like me or superior sight like you- she'll _never _see us!"  
"Ooooooh. Wait, you have NIGHT VISION?"  
"Of course- I'm a cat."  
Stated Happy proudly. As this exchange of words was going on, Lucy had changed into her pajamas, and was now seated at her desk. Natsu peered through the window, now sure that he wouldn't be found, to see her stroking a picture of a woman. A woman who looked strangely like Lucy. Brushing it off as a coincidence, the boy listened closer as the blonde began to speak.  
"I miss you, you know. I really do. But I can't let that get to me. I can't tell anyone, I don't want them to worry for me."  
Natsu frowned. What was she saying? They were a family, they were _meant _to worry for each other. And then, Lucy said exactly that.  
"I can almost hear them you know? If they heard me right now, they'd say 'we're a family, Lucy. Worrying for each other is what we do.' but I can't let them. It doesn't feel right. This morning, I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't cry today- that went up in smoke, didn't it?"  
Lucy smiled sadly as tears began to run down her face. Natsu felt the need to bolt through the window and wrap his arms around the blonde. Why was she crying all alone? It wasn't right. As he watched, his beloved slowly stopped weeping and clambered into bed, sound asleep in a matter of seconds. The pink haired mage turned to speak to Happy, but the blue cat was gone. He smiled to himself. The poor thing must have been tired. He decided that he would stay with Lucy for the night and confront her in the morning. Climbing in through the window, Natsu got into bed with the girl he loved and wrapped his arms around her waist, before falling into a fitful sleep.

Lucy awoke in the middle of the night, curled into a snug ball and feeling warmer than usual. It was as if the object beside her radiated heat. With her still half-asleep state, she snuggled closer to the object, thinking that she must have placed a hot water bottle in bed before falling asleep. That reminded her... why was she awake at about 3 'o' clock in the morning? With a pang she remembered her dream- it was more of a memory in the shape of a dream - a memory of the day her mother had died and left a vulnerable six year old Lucy behind to fend for herself, with a cold-hearted father as her only family. She missed her. She missed her so much, that she would give anything to see her just one more time. _Anything._ But that was impossible. Even if she gave half her body, sold her soul to the devil, it wouldn't bring her back. She knew that. That's why it hurt- she knew that she couldn't do anything about it. It made her feel so pathetic. And now, in the safety of her bed, she broke the dams. Her tears began to flow freely down her face, her expression twisting in pain as she curled up tighter. Confident that no one could hear her, Lucy Heartfilia began to sob. Her breath hitched and her cries echoed throughout the apartment, the rebounding sounds proof of her misery. As her weeps escalated in volume, She was oblivious of Natsu starting to stir beside her. He woke to the sound of a girl crying, and instantly knew that it was Lucy. He wrapped his muscular arms around her and pulled her closer to his chest, stroking her hair and whispering soothing words into her ear. Apparently, the 'hot water bottle' was actually Natsu himself, as the celestial mage found out via the hug. She stiffened at first, but when he began to pet her head and whisper in her ear, she buried her head in his chest and mourned. They remained in that position, of Lucy in a ball and Natsu curled protectively around her, for nearly an hour until the blonde's sobs subsided. When he noticed that she had calmed down, Natsu pulled away from her, but kept his comforting hands on her shoulders. By his expression, the Fairy Tail mage knew that the game was up- Natsu was going to make her tell him what happened.  
"Lucy. Listen to me. Something is _obviously _bothering you, so much that you actually started crying. I thought something was off all week, but this just proved it. Please, just tell me what's wrong, I can't bear to see you reduced to such a state. I won't tell anyone else if that's what you want, just please... please, Lucy... I don't think I'll be able to last much longer..."  
The said blonde was shocked to see that her best friend was on the verge of tears. Determination in her glazed over eyes, she took on of the dragon slayer's hands off her shoulder and gripped it tight. The boy looked up in surprise, about to ask what was wrong, but when he saw her sad, determined eyes, the words died in his mouth. He knew what this was about. He was finally going to know what was bothering Lucy, and by he'd be damned if he couldn't do everything humanely possible to help- even if that meant punching a few people's faces in. On second thought, he'd happily do that anyway. Deciding to stop thinking and just listen, Natsu turned his attention to Lucy as she began to speak.  
"O-okay. I'll tell you, just please don't laugh."  
He nodded in agreement before signalling for her to carry on. Taking a deep breath, she started.  
"This week is probably the most significant in the year for me. Today especially is very important to me, more so than my birthday and Christmas. Because today, on the 3rd of July 777, m-my mother passed away..."  
Lucy began to tear up halfway through the explanation, and by the end of it tears were once again rolling down her face. She used her hair to cover her face as best she could, but the golden locks were not enough to completely conceal her crumbling form from the concerned eyes of the fire breather, who was now wide-eyed at the sudden revelation. 'Of course!' he thought, putting the pieces together. It all made sense now. The picture of the woman that looked exactly like her was her mother and she missed her because she passed away. Feeling the need to comfort the poor girl in front of him, Natsu once again pulled Lucy into a hug, draping his arms around her trembling body and pulling her close. The girl immediately latched onto him, grabbing him by the waist as she let out all of her sorrow, all of the feelings cooped up inside her.  
"How could I ever laugh at you for that?"  
The dragon slayer murmured as the girl he loved whimpered into his toned chest. Natsu felt a strange deja vu about the whole situation, before realising that after Igneel left, he would be in a similar state on the anniversary of his disappearance. Certain that this would cheer up the lamenting girl, he began to tell his tale.  
"Lucy, it's okay- well, I know that it's not, and that your mother passing away wasn't a good thing, so it isn't really okay but... errm... wow, I messed up big time!"  
He stuttered, unable to find his footing in order to start telling Lucy his feelings, but in the process of searching for it he ended up insulting her instead! Woah, he really failed. Now Lucy would never believe him. He began to feel more and more depressed, until the girl tightened her grip and snuggled her head into his chest, signalling that it was okay and that she didn't take offence. Sighing in relief, the fire mage carried on.  
"Phew, I thought I'd really done it that time! Anyway, back to what I was trying to say. What I mean is, I understand what you're going through- the pain is like when I lost Igneel. It's like a part of you is missing, and you get this hollow feeling in your stomach and your chest cramps up so you can't breathe because of the pain that is inflicted on your heart, am I right?"  
Lucy, amazed at his accuracy, lifted her tear-stained face from his chest and looked up into his eyes with bitter tears still leaking out from her eyes. At the sight of the gentle, caring expression he wore, she almost wanted to cry all over again, but she refused to let them spill. She pulled away from the boy, but kept skin contact via her arms, which were still holding the other mage, refusing to let go of their only source of comfort. She sniffed, before whispering in a voice barely audible to anyone but Natsu,  
"T-thank you. Having you here by my side has really helped, and for the first time ever, I think I might even be slightly happy on the 3rd of July"  
At the end of her thanks, the girl gave a soft smile at the boy that over the year that she'd known him, she'd fallen for- hard. She just hoped that he felt the same way. Whilst she was reflecting, a smirk had grown on Natsu's face. Now was the perfect chance.  
"Hey, Lucy, I think I know how I could make you even happier. Would you like me to give it a go?"  
Lucy, innocently oblivious to what the dragon slayer had in mind, blinked before answering  
"Sure, if you want to"  
His grin growing wider, he pulled an unsuspecting Lucy into another hug, this one tighter, with her whole body pressed against his by the hand that was pushing at the small of her back. She let out a squeak, alarmed by the sudden action. Feeling a blush rise to his cheeks, Natsu took a deep breath before whispering the words meant only for her to hear.  
"I like you, Lucy."  
The girl froze within his hold, her heart thundering like a trapped bull within her chest. Was this really happening?  
"W-whaaa?"  
She stuttered, face dyed a strawberry red colour, bright enough to rival that of Natsu's hair. The said boy giggled nervously at her reaction before repeating himself.  
"I said, I like you. L-Lucy... d-do you like me too?"  
His confidence rapidly deteriorating as he spoke, hence the stuttering at the end of his speech. What if she didn't like him too? Had he ruined their friendship? Suddenly, he wished that he could burn himself a hole to hide in. However, his spirits lifted almost immediately as the blushing blonde whispered something in his ear, something that he had wanted to hear from the moment they met.  
"I-I like you too, Natsu."

* * *

After their confession, neither of the pair could sleep, so they simply lay in each other's arms until 7, before walking to the guild hand in hand. As the new couple reached the doors of Fairy Tail, Natsu had a sudden idea, a delicious, juicy, _incredible _idea. You see, the boy loved how Lucy looked with a blush dusting her face, and he'd just thought of something that would make her blush and everyone aware of the situation. Grinning, Natsu swept the shrieking blonde off her feet, carrying her bridal style before opening the doors to the guild.  
"Natsu! Put me down! _Natsuuuu!_"  
The laughing boy looked down at the squealing girl in his arms as the entire guild looked questioningly at the pair. Putting the last phase of his plan into action, the dragon slayer called  
"YO! EVERYONE, LISTEN UP!"  
"WE WERE ALREADY, DUMBO! Now, what's up with you carrying Lucy? She hurt or something?"  
answered a bare-chested Gray, whilst Lucy continued to shout out protests. Grinning once more, the pink-haired boy replied  
"Nope! I just need to announce something. This girl right here"  
He started, motioning to the struggling Lucy,  
"Is hereby _my _girl. Hear that suckers? Hands off, Lucy's taken."  
He swiftly removed one hand from behind the girl, repositioning her so that she wouldn't fall, and pointed his thumb at himself.  
"We're a couple now. Lucy's my girlfriend. So quit staring at her."  
"_Natsuuuuuuuuuuu!_"  
Wailed Lucy, blushing harder and burying her head in his chest trying to hide, unwittingly making the pair look even cuter. The guild members were silent for a moment, before erupting into cheers.  
"Good on, Natsu!"  
"Kyaaaa, they're so _cuuuutee!_"  
"Luuu-chaaaan, congrats!"  
"Took ya long enough, flame brain!"  
At this last comment, contributed by Gray, the one and only, Natsu put Lucy down gently and went to pick a fight with the ice mage, before he felt a tug on his vest. Looking back at Lucy, he saw a smug smile on her lips. At this, the guild ceased their celebrations and turned they're attention back to the couple, and more importantly, Lucy.  
"If I'm your girl, then _you _are my boy, Natsu."  
giggled the blonde, poking the said mage on his nose in the process, which earned her a blush from the normally confident fire mage.  
"Sh-shut up, Luce!"  
This cute display earned the couple more 'awwws' as they walked hand in hand down to the bar, where Mira assaulted them with questions. For the most part, they were happy to answer, smiling at each other as they did, that is until one particular question came up.  
"So, how was your first kiss?"  
The couple blushed at the question, looking away from each other, leaving Mira quite baffled.  
"What? What is it?"  
The pair blushed harder before Lucy answered,  
"W-we haven't k-kissed yet, Mira..."  
The barmaid pouted  
"What? Not even a peck on the cheek?"  
At this, the pair both turned towards the silverette and started explaining, with Lucy starting.  
"Mira! The furthest we've got..."  
"...Is a hug, or me carrying Lucy..."  
"...And even that makes us..."  
"...Blush!"  
Finished Natsu, the pair unknowingly completing each other's sentences, which caused coos and awws to fill the guild's hall. The pair were still blushing, but after they looked at each other, it took but minutes for them to be giggling together, each hanging onto the other for dear life. The pair then joined in the celebrations under Makarov's watchful eyes, Natsu always keeping checking on Lucy from wherever he happened to be standing, getting teases from the other male mages in the room. Halfway through the party, Levy pulled Lucy over to a corner, where they proceeded to talk, and Natsu, with his superior hearing, listened in to their conversation.  
"Lu-chan, I've been meaning to ask, today's your mother's... right?"  
"Y-yeah..."  
"Are you feeling okay?"  
"W-well, I'm better then I usually am, but..."  
A single tear trickled down her cheek, and it was as if that droplet of water was a catalyst for an emotion explosion within Natsu. In a flash, he was behind his girlfriend with his arms wrapped around her waist. The girl jumped, not knowing who it was behind her, before Natsu, who had drawn the attention of the entire guild, began to speak.  
"No buts, Lucy. Remember, you can't cry alone now. You shouldn't have _before, _but now you really can't. When you smile, I smile, when you laugh, I laugh and when you cry, I'll cry along with you."  
He said, and as if to prove his point, tears began to glimmer on his cheeks. The girl immediately turned around and hugged him back, looking up into his sad eyes and smiling.  
"Fine, Mr. Worrywart, I get it. I won't cry alone again. Instead, why not make _you _cry with me? Woah, that's a wonderful idea, why hadn't I thought of that in the first place? Two birds with one stone!"  
She said jokingly, using the pad of her thumb to wipe away any stray tears on his face. The pair stayed like that for a while, completely oblivious to everything surrounding them, until a particular blue cat ruined the moment.  
"You lllllllllllllllllike her!"  
"Nope, I don't Happy."  
announced Natsu, making everyone freeze in shock. The whole guile watched in nail-biting anticipation. Was it all a joke? Did Natsu just say that he liked her to make her feel better about herself, and cheer her up on her mother's death anniversary? That was all that went through Lucy's head as she slowly lifted her eyes, which had strayed to his chest, back to his eyes, her brown orbs filled with despair. However, as soon as she saw the soft smile on the dragon slayer's lips and heard his quiet chuckle, she relaxed. Lucy knew that he'd never do anything like that to her. But then, what did he mean? As if reading her mind, the pink-haired mage said in a low, almost embarrased voice  
"I don't like her. I llllllllllove her!"  
Before moving his head down and kissing her softly on the cheek. The guild members were shouting their praises at Natsu, whereas both members of the newly-formed couple were blushing at Natsu's sudden action. The fire mage pulled his beloved closer and they shared another moment, hugging amongst the people that they had began to think of as family. Once they had pulled apart, Natsu smiled softly at her and told her to enjoy the celebrations, before moving towards the general direction of the bathroom. But before he could reach his destination, he was intercepted by a blushing Lucy. The boy momentarily wondered what had caused the sudden redness, before the blonde reached up on her tiptoes and wrapped her arms around his neck, before giving him a soft kiss on the forehead. Blushing as they parted, the boy forgot all about his previous idea about washing his face to clear his nerves, and decided that with this girl, there was nothing to be nervous about- they both felt exactly the same way. Grinning down at her, Natsu asked  
"Hey, Luce, you wanna go on out first mission as a couple together now?"

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**Aaaaand, that's chapter one! I realised that the quality slipped towards the end, so for that I apologise. Anyone who can think of I can improve please review, and please tell me if you enjoyed it :3 The more reviews, the faster chapter 2 comes out because I'll be all spurred on and stuff ;) Anyways, hope you enjoyed, look out for chapter 2!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for those reviews everyone! I'm sorry this took so long, my life caught up with me :P Anyways, a special thanks to SuicidalSmile, Chiharu Himeji, Rose Tiger, HinaSnowBastia and nalu4evr who reviewed my first chapter! Oh yeah, my new Fairy Tail inspired name is CelestialBlaze for all of you who may be confused as to why CelesialBlaze is stealing AquaLotus99's stories XD And a super special thanks to w****illiamsSky, who has been my personal cheerleader, and Rose Tiger, who helped me modify the format of this chapter for easier readability. If anyone who reads can think of any other ways that I can improve this, please tell so I can put your points to use in future stories ^.^ I wrote an extra loooong chapter this time round, I own nothing, and let's get on with the show!**

**_Italics- thoughts_  
**

* * *

**Previously:**

** Blushing as they parted, the boy forgot all about his previous idea about washing his face to clear his nerves, and decided that with this girl, there was nothing to be nervous about- they both felt exactly the same way. Grinning down at her, Natsu asked**  
**"Hey, Luce, you wanna go on out first mission as a couple together now?"**

Lucy smiled up at her ever eager boyfriend and replied

"Sure, Natsu, you choose 'kay?"

The said boy blinked and looked down at her with uncertainty.

"You sure Luce?"

"Yes, yes, now hurry up before all of the good jobs are gone!"

She laughed, swatting the pink-haired mage on his chest. He grinned his signature toothy grin and shouted a thanks whilst running off towards the notice board. As she fondly watched him leave, Lucy wondered how she was ever attracted to such a weirdo in the first place. But for some reason, knowing that he wasn't just any old weirdo warmed her heart.

He was _her _weirdo.

And she loved him like she had her mother. Shaking her head slightly, Lucy turned around and scanned the guild for her best friend's signature blue hair. However, as soon as she spotted Levy and attempted to make her way towards her, she was caught up in a bone crushing hug. The blonde tensed up, before feeling the reassuring cool metal through her clothes. It was Erza. Of course it was- I mean, who else had such inhuman strength? Well, apart from Natsu that is. Turning to face her team mate, Lucy was shocked to see tears running in a constant stream down the red-head's face. Panicking as Lucy normally would, she asked,

"Erza! What's wrong? Are you hurt?"

The flustered girl checked for any sort of scratch on her friend, and was finally pacified when everything seemed to be in order. Shifting her attention back to Erza, Lucy looked her in the eye with a silent question in her chocolate orbs. Amused by her friend's innocence, Erza laughed through her tears.

"Don't worry, Lucy, I'm fine! It's just...I'm...I'M SO HAPPY FOR YOU!

Erza broke into fresh wails as she hugged the sweat-dropping blonde closer to her chest. Meanwhile, Lucy could only think_ 'Wh..what's with the sudden change in character?'_  
Just then, Erza straightened up with breakneck speed.

"I'VE HAD IT! We could make a play out of this! Oh, how I love to act! I must start my training exercises at once!"

Leaving the baffled blonde in the middle of the guild, Erza walked off singing scales and such like. Lucy once again sweat dropped as she recalled the disastrous play that Erza had insisted they act. In fact, wasn't it Erza herself who had got an amazing case of stage fright? Pushing the matter to the back of her head, Lucy once again set off to find Levy.

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

After searching through the drunk, partying guild members for what seemed like hours, Lucy finally caught sight of her blue-haired friend. She was about to approach her when she saw who her companion was. Apparently, Gajeel and Levy were having a jolly good time laughing away in one corner of the guild.  
'Oh boy, if I leave them be I could have endless fun with Levy later! I can imagine her face when I tease her about her relationship with Gajeel! Plus, those two need a little push... oh no... I sound like Mira!'  
Coming to the hasty conclusion that she should leave her friend be, Lucy was about to go and chat with a certain silverette when she heard someone calling her name.

"Lucy! Luce! Hey, Lucy!"

She would've known that voice anywhere. The blonde immediately turned towards the direction of the sound, her features lit up with the prospect of seeing her boyfriend again. Sure enough, Natsu came running up to her with his stupid grin plastered on his face.

"Hey Luce! Look! I found the perfect mission! And it can pay for your rent too!"

Lucy laughed and looked at the piece of paper he was waving in her face.

**Please Help!**

**An egotistical robber has been targeting our village, Wintlamont. He says that, once defeated in battle, he will return our stolen goods. We need a team of strong mages, number makes no difference, to take him on. Please help us defeat him and retrieve our gold! The village is running low on food money, we need you! Thank you!**

**Reward: 70,000 jewels**

Lucy stared, stunned, at the request. The reward was _70,000 jewels exactly! _The blonde whirled towards her boyfriend.

"Natsu! We can't do this job!"

Said boy frowned at his girlfriend's outburst. He had thought the mission was perfect- I mean, he got to punch some guy's face in and Lucy got her rent. It was a win-win situation, right?

"Why not, Luce?"

"Because then you don't get any of the reward!"

Natsu blinked once. Then twice. Then once more, before smiling broadly.

"Sure I do, Luce!"

"Huh?"

Natsu smiled broadly before announcing, loud enough for everyone in the guild to hear,

"If you're happy, that's more than enough of a reward for me!"

Lucy was shocked beyond words. Here was Natsu, dumb, childish Natsu, spouting such heartfelt words that she wanted to melt into his arms. She had the right mind to pull at his hair to find out if he was an impostor wearing a mask! Unable to express how happy his simple statement had made her feel, Lucy simply stepped forwards and wrapped her arms around his torso. The salmon-haired boy was surprised by her suddenness and was about to ask what was wrong until the blonde spoke into his chiseled chest.

"Thank you. You're the best boyfriend I could've wished for. We'll set out tomorrow afternoon"

Grinning, Natsu returned the gesture, resting his head on hers whilst hugging her tightly.

"Yep, that's me- the best boyfriend around with the best girlfriend in town. I must be the luckiest man alive."

As the pair, one's face pink enough to rival the other's hair, shared their moment, they were unaware of the hush that had descended upon the guild, as every pair of eyes in the room was focused on them. Sadly, the rare peacefulness was broken by none other than Gray Fullbuster.

"OI! HELLOOOO? CAN YOU TWO STILL HEAR US?"

Immediately, the couple snapped back to reality and realised that their 'little exchange' had been witnessed by the entire guild. Lucy turned a shade of red that would rival that of a strawberry and even Natsu had a slight dusting of pink on his cheeks. Said boy rolled up imaginary sleeves and turned towards the cackling ice mage.

"You wanna go?"

"Bring it, flame brain!"

Immediately the two flew at each other, punching through tables, kicking holes in the walls and burning the ceiling- basically wrecking havoc to the guild. After watching their little scuffle for a while, the rest of the guild decided that they wanted a piece of the action.

"OH YEAH! GUILD FIGHT!"

Screamed an unknown member, before the room erupted into utter chaos. Punches were thrown, people were sent flying and a couple of beer barrels were kicked- of course, the unlucky sods who had _that _bright idea were beaten senseless by Cana. Random comments were heard over the din of battle, the person they came from easily recognisable by the content.

"A MAN ALWAYS FIGHTS WITH HIS FISTS!"

"I WAS DRINKING THAT, MACAO YOU IDIOT!"

"OI, WAKABA, YOU'RE TOO OLD TO FIGHT ANYMORE!"

"YOU'RE GOING DOWN, ICE PANSY!"

"SAYS YOU, FLAMES FOR BRAINS!"

"GE-HEE, IMMA EAT ALL THE METAL IN THIS DOGHOUSE!"

"MY GUILD IS NOT A DOGHOUSE!"

"JEEZ, I'M SORRY MASTER, BUT DON'T SQUISH ME LIKE THAT! THE HELL?"

"OI, MASTER, DON'T STAND ON ME, I'M RIGHT BENEATH YOU! I WILL FREEZE YOUR GODDAMNED FOOT, I SWEAR!"

"JUVIA WILL PROTECT GRAY-SAMA!"

"SAVE ME, MIRAAAAA-NEEEEE!"

This last scream was contributed by a now cowering Lisanna, who had jumped behind the bar for protection. As usual, Lucy sighes and watched the brawl progress- that is, until someone had the bright idea of throwing a wine bottle at her newly-bought blouse. It just so happened that it still contained wine.

"YOU IDIOTS! THIS COST ME 50,000 JEWELS! OH BOY, YOUR IN FOR IT NOW!"

That was all she said before jumping into the rising cloud of dust brandishing her Fleuve d'etoiles. Occasionally, screams could be heard followed by an evil cackle as the blonde whipped her guild mates.

"TAKE THAT, YOU BUFFOON!"

"SPARE ME, LUCY SAM- OOOOOWWWW!"

"WOOO! YOU GO GIRL! SMOKING HOT! THAT'S MY GIRLFRIEND!"

"_NATSUUUUUUU!"_

"Ara ara."

Giggled Mira as she continued to polish the glasses whilst occasionally dodging the odd flying missile.

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

"Aaah, I'm so tired!"

Lucy was now at home, refreshed after her recent bath ans snuggled into her sofa reading. After the war had calmed down in the guild, the blonde had been exhausted so she headed home. The time was now ten 'o' clock, and she decided to retire for the night. Shutting her book and leaving it on her desk, she shuffled towards her bed and collapsed onto it. Snuggling under the warm layers of duvet, the girl sighed and settled in for some well earned sleep. it was about 15 minutes later when she felt a warm arm snake around her waist and a hot body press into her back, nose snuggling into her hair. She froze, wondering who the attacker was, until she saw a tuft of pink out of the corner of her eye.

"Natsu! What are you doing here?"

The boy snuggled closer to her before answering.

"Aren't I welcome at my own girlfriend's house?"

"_Natsuuuu~!"_

"What?"

"Don't say it like that, it's embarrassing!"

"I only speak the truth. Besides, there's nothing to be embarrassed about! We both love each other, so everything's good, right?"

"R-right... but Natsu, now that we're a couple, you really can't sleep with me."

Natsu pouted at Lucy's revelation. Why not? If they were a couple, that meant that it was more normal for them to sleep together than if they weren't. So then what was Lucy's point. Having effectively confused himself, he turned to the blonde for answers.

"Why not?"

"Because people will get the wrong idea!"

"I don't get it. Explain, and turn around, it's weird talking to your hair!"

"N-NO!"

"Ehhhh? Why not?"

"It-It's too embarrassing!"

"Well..."

The pink haired boy suddenly smirked.

"...In that case, I'll just do... _THIS!"_

Natsu grabbed hold of Lucy and pinned her to the mattress, resulting in a protesting squeak from said blonde. He then jumped over her flat body so that Lucy was in the same position as before, except that he had swapped sides and was now facing her.

"_KYAAAAAA!"_

"Hahahhaha, got ya, Luce!"

"N-N-_Natsuuuu_!"

"Yep? No need to shout, I'm right here, sheesh! And answer my question!"

"N-no! Go ask Erza or something... on second thoughts, that might not be the best idea..."

Lucy trailed off as they both shivered, imagining Erza's reaction if Natsu ever asked about why he shouldn't sleep with her.

"Hey Luce, you're not _really _embarrassed, right? I mean, I'm your boyfriend now, so there's nothing to be embarrassed or shy about!"

Lucy didn't respond, rather she gave off a forlorn wail and buried her face in her pillow as best she could, attempting to hide her red cheeks from the boy. Natsu, seeing that she was serious about being embarrassed, softened and looked at her fondly. Taking hold of her hand and entwining their fingers, he whispered in the blushing blonde's ear.

"Hey, Luce, it's okay, weirdo! There's absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about- we used to do this _before _we were a couple, remember?"

"I-I know... but for some reason, I feel all weird when we do it now...s-sorry, Natsu..."

The pink-haired mage blinked. Why was she apologising?

"It's okay Luce, don't be sad, I-I hate it when you're upset. Hey, if it's that bad, I'll go back to my apartment, okay? Just don't worry, silly."

Natsu quickly kissed the shocked girl's forehead and made to get up. However, just as he put his foot on the window sill and prepared to jump, he felt some thin, porcelain arms wrap around his torso. He was so surprised he almost fell out of the window. He looked back to see Lucy, who was previously lying on the bed, standing behind him with her face buried in his vest.

"D-don't go... I love you, and I'd give anything to be around you, so don't leave me, okay? I'm sorry if I made it seem as though I wanted you gone, it's just that I don't know how to act around you any anymore... don't leave me, Natsu..."

The dragon slayer was shocked as hell when the sudden sharp smell of tears made its way to his nose. In an instant, he had turned around and embraced the crying blonde. Holding her tightly to his chest he started to speak in a panicked tone.

"You don't _need _to act any different! I love you just the way you are, and I wouldn't have it any other way! A-and Luce...Don't cry, Lucy, please don't cry! I'll stay okay? Now stop it! Don't cry, and omigoshomigoshomigosh whatdoIdowhatdoIdo? UWAAAAHH!"

The blonde giggled through her tears, laughing at how hopeless her boyfriend was in the face of tears. The giggles were soon followed by a little shriek as Natsu grabbed her round her thighs and lifted her so that she was forced to wrap her legs around him and cling to his vest for dear life. The pink-haired boy chuckled at her pouting face as he carried her back to her bed. Once again, they lay down, this time facing each other in a comfortable silence, Natsu stroking Lucy's hair until she fell asleep in his arms.

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

"O-oi...they've only been dating for like _2 days, _should they already be doing...ya know...that? But they still have their clothes on... they must have taken precautions in case we visited! Which we did... b-but still, yesterday they hadn't even kissed..."

Lucy awoke the next morning to murmurings in her room. Still being in a half-asleep state, she disregarded them and snuggled closer to the heat that was next to her. A part of her mind wondered what it was, but frankly, she didn't give one at the moment.

"E-etou...W-we should probably leave!"

Lucy frowned at the slightly flustered voice. Couldn't they keep quiet? Sheesh! Cracking open her bleary eyes, Lucy searched for the source of the noises, her eyes eventually coming across a huddle that was Gray, Erza and Happy. Content that no one was trying to break into her apartment, she buried her face in the warmth, before freezing. _What were Erza and co doing in her room? _Lucy was about to ask them what was wrong before she noticed the weight on her shoulders. Wait, what? What was on her shoulders? Suddenly feeling wide awake, Lucy's eyes flew open, resulting in her having to bite down on her lip to prevent a scream at what she saw.

Natsu.

Or more precisely, his chest. Apparently, sometime during the night the pair had ended up in a rather awkward position. Lucy, her knees tucked into her chest, was snuggled into the fire mage's chest, her arms wrapped around his waist. Said boy had his arms draped around her shoulders in a tight hug, his head resting upon hers. '_Waaaaaahhh! What, how, when? Boy, if anyone saw us they would get the wrong idea..i-if anyone SAW US? ERZA!' _Upon her sudden revelation, Lucy attempted to get up off the bed, only to have Natsu's grip on her tighten. A crimson blush now staining her cheeks, the blonde was in despair '_How do I get him off me?' _She thought, but luckilly, Happy answered that question for her.

"NATSU AND LUCY WERE MAKING KITTENS!"

Lucy screamed this time, though she was surprised to hear a male scream simultaneously. She wondered who it was before the hold on her shoulders was released. Looking up, she saw a now-awake Natsu blushing as well as her. When they're eyes met, the colouring intensified. Using their eyes to communicate, they both decided on one thing- they were having cat for breakfast. Both emanating an evil aura, they stared at the cowering trio (yes, under their intense glares, even the almighty Erza was afraid) and spoke in a low, hushed tone, at the same time.

"What was that, Happy?"

"Uh oh..."

"WE'LL BE LEAVING!"

Shouted Erza and Gray, running out of the room as the couple clicked their knuckles and advanced on the terrified blue exceed...

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

An hour later, Natsu and Lucy, now calmed down, headed towards Fairy Tail dragging and unconscious Happy behind them, the blue cat _smoking _for some odd reason.

"Ne, Lucy?"

"Hmm? What's up Natsu?"

"I see why you don't want me to sleep with you now thanks to _this_..."

He said, pointing at Happy for emphasis, as Lucy nodded, eyes curious as to what he was getting at.

"...but, can't we sleep together _ anyway_? Who cares about what other people say? If they go anywhere near you or hurt you, I'll beat 'em up, just you watch!"

Lucy, shocked by how blunt Natsu had been and at the care in his eyes, stood rooted to the ground. Oblivious to this, the pink-haired mage kept walking, dragging Happy along, before looking around for his girlfriend and seeing her stood far behind. Worry now reflected in his orbs, he walked back to the blonde and gently shook her.

"Hey, Luce? What's up? Luce?"

He would have began to panic because she wouldn't answer, had Lucy not wrapped her arms, once more, around his waist. He looked down at her in speculation, but he was not about to change their position. Nope- he loved being close to Lucy. However, this didn't stop him from wondering what brought on the hug, but that was soon made clear too.

"Thank you..."

"Hmm? For what Lu-?"

Was all he said before the all too familiar scent of tears assaulted his overly-sensitive nose. Horrified at how he had made the girl he loved cry twice in 24 hours, he hugged her tightly and rocked her back and forth, hoping to stop the tears. Lucy laughed through her tears at his naive actions, unable to realise that she was crying in happiness. In order to alert him of this fact, she pulled away from him and smiled at his bewildered expression. _'__He's so cute...' _the blonde thought as she chuckled lightly.

"Don't worry, silly! I'm happy, they're tears of happiness."

"Wha-? Oooh~! I get it now!"

Laughing at him, her tears now dry, they resumed walking to the guild, hand in hand, the pair planning on saying goodbye before setting off on their mission- oh, and drop Happy off.

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

As they walked through the wooden doors to the guild, Natsu and Lucy beamed at their friends.

"Hello, minna!"

"Yo!"

The pair walked over to the bar, Mira rushing to meet them, positively gushing about how cute they looked, causing blushes to form on the couple's cheeks. As the threesome chatted over the counter, Happy, who had regained consciousness a while ago, spotted Charle talking to Wendy and flew over to her, hearts in his eyes. Lucy smiled warmly as she watched him offer a fish to the female exceed, which, for once, she excepted.

"Don't think too much of this, Happy, I'm just hungry."

The blue cat, however, was lost in a world of his own, imagining what their children would look like. Lucy rolled her eyes and turned her attention back to Natsu, only to find him staring at her face lovingly. Embarrassed at being caught in the act, the pink haired boy's cheeks flamed red as he turned his head away from the blushing girl and rubbed the back of his neck. Mirajane forgotten, she scrutinised the wide-eyed boy, Lucy once again smiled and snuck her hand back into his. Surprised, Natsu looked back at her, and this time she looked away, unable to meet his gaze. Chuckling, he moved closer to her until they were sitting shoulder to shoulder and leaned forward, whispering in her ear,

"You look cute when you blush."

Instead of her squealing as he expected, the celestial mage smirked and murmured,

"I could say the same to you."

His plan effectively backfiring, the dragon slayer flinched and blushed once more, this time darker than before, but kept his warm hand within hers.

"_L-L-Lucy_~!"

Said blonde giggled and playfully swung an arm around her boyfriend's shoulders, letting go of his hand in the process. Natsu didn't mind though- in fact, this position was very much preferred.

"I'm only telling the truth though~!"

The blonde sang as Natsu's confident exterior crumbled under her teases. An evil idea coming to his mind, the salmon-haired mage moved his mouth to the blonde's cheek, giving it a chaste kiss as his warm breath fanned over the blushing skin. Lucy's breath hitched and she froze as Natsu trailed his mouth up to her ear and nibbled on her earlobe, kissing her all the way. The blonde tried to flee, but the dragon slayer wasn't having it. He grabbed her around the waist with a tight, but comfortable, grip and imprisoned her hand in the warm confines of his own. As he continued his onslaught upon her ear, he began to bite her with more force, giving her odd nip, but never enough to draw blood. He'd be damned if she was hurt in any kind of way because of him, be it physical or mental.

"I was too, but I've changed my mind now..."

He muttered, as he moved down her jawline, unaware of the gawping Mirajane who was currently opening and closing her mouth so she looked like a fish, and then kissed his way back up again. Occasionally, his pink tongue would poke out of his mouth and give her small licks that sent shudders up Lucy's spine. '_Damn him..._' thought the blonde as she turned into putty in the boy's hands.

"...you're not cute, you're beautiful."

Lucy squeaked and blushed so red that she almost resembled a tomato- no, scrap that, she _did _look like a tomato. She practically flew to the other side of the guild, trying to escape her embarrassing situation. However, there was just one problem with that plan. Lucy was still holding Natsu's hand. Because of this, all she managed to do was drag him across the guild as he watched her with an amused expression. When he decided that he'd had enough, he grabbed her around the waist and tossed her over his shoulder, carrying her back to the bar. As the blushing blonde protested, throwing feeble punches and kicks to his back and chest, Natsu simply walked back to the counter and plopped her down on a chair, seating himself next to her. The entire guild was in shock after the little incident, and for once, it was completely silent; well, for around 5 seconds anyway.

"THAT WAS SO CUUUUTEEE~!"

squealed Mirajane, fussing over the blushing couple. The other guild members, who had not been close enough to hear what Natsu and Lucy were saying, made a mental note to find out from the silverette later, before turning back to whatever it was they were doing. Natsu's previous confidence had effectively vanished, so he was blushing nearly as hard as Lucy was. Suddenly, a rather unwelcome thought popped up in his mind. '_What if she didn't like it?_' he thought, tuning out Mira's ramblings. '_Maybe that's why she tried to run away... maybe she was uncomfortable with the situation..._' A little shocked by his supposed revelation, Natsu studied the blonde's features for any sign of pain, but all that he saw was reddening cheeks and a cute little pout. '_Even so, I should apologise..._' His mind made up, Natsu turned to face Lucy and took her hand once more. The blonde responded by her blush intensifying, if that was possible, but nevertheless faced the dragon slayer with questioning eyes.

"W-wh-what's wrong N-N-Natsu?"

She managed to say, stuttering because of embarrassment. The boy frowned in her direction when she refused to meet his gaze.

"I...swy...Lucy..."

He muttered, unused to apologising. The blonde blinked, before saying,

"Could you repeat that please, Natsu?"

"mm..rry...ucy..."

"Eh?"

"_I'm sorry, Lucy!"_

The boy all but shouted, surprising the celestial mage. What was he apologising for? Apparently, it wasn't worth her thought as Natsu explained himself.

"I-I'm sorry for doing... that... to you, when you obviously weren't comfortable with it. I understand if you want to break up with me right now..."

Lucy's eyes widened. What was he saying?

"...but I wanted to at least apologise before that. I hope that we can at least be friends..."

He said, before walking towards the doors dejectedly, certain that Lucy wouldn't want to be his girlfriend anymore. However, he only managed three steps through the shocked onlookers before a hand closed around his forearm and pulled him backwards, turning his around in the process. Just as soon as he was facing Lucy again, she hugged him tight, burying her head in his chest and running her hands up and down his back in a comforting manner.

"Don't ever...say anything like that again... You stupid, naive, over dramatic fool... I love you, stupid..."

Natsu felt a warm mixture of relief and love flow though his body, blossoming in his heart. After quickly hugging the blonde back, he started heading towards the guild door, shrugging his backpack over his shoulders.

"HEY LUCE! COME ON, WE'LL BE LATE FOR OUR MISSION!"

The girl's eyes widened as she stormed out of the guild, screaming like a lunatic something that sounded a bit like,

"THE MISSION~! NOOOOO~! MY RENT~~!"

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

After Lucy had calmed down somewhat, he duo walked at a leisurely pace towards the train station. Natsu was actually looking _happy, _not normal considering that pretty soon they would be in transportation's evil clutches. Lucy, intrigued by this, asked,

"Ne, Natsu, how come you aren't the normal moaning pile of jelly like you usually are when you're heading towards transport?

Flashing his wide grin, he answered proudly,

"I got Wendy to cast Troia on me again! Aren't I clever?"

Lucy smiled and shook her head at the chuffed dragon slayer. Honest to God, sometimes he could be so cute~! Lucy then realised something, something that hadn't set in when she first saw the job request. As she thought about it, she sighed, alerting the fire mage to her depression. As they walked, Lucy began to voice her thoughts, relying on Natsu to lend an ear.

"Ne, Natsu...I don't think I should have come on this job..."

The pink-haired boy frowned. Why not? They'd already talked about the reward, so that couldn't be it...

"Eh? Why not, Luce?"

"Natsu... have you seen the request? If this guy has enough confidence to believe that he can take down mages from guilds as strong as Fairy Tail, then he must pack a punch, right? You'd have no problem with him, but I'm not strong...I'm weak. I can't fight, and I'll end up being in your way when you try to...maybe I should go back..."

Natsu stopped in his tracks as Lucy's speech trailed off. Unaware of this, she kept walking until she noticed the absence of the familiar warmth she always had at her side. Turning around, she saw Natsu with his bangs over his eyes, fists clenched and trembling. Worried about him, she began to walk back, her pace quickening with each stride. She stopped about an arm's length away from him, unsure about what to do; heck, she didn't even know what was wrong!

"Natsu? Natsu, what's wrong? Natsu?"

As her calls remained unanswered, she wondered if she should shake him a little. She quickly brushed the thought away- if it was her that was upset for some reason, she'd want to be left alone... wait a minute... Something clicked in Lucy's mind, and she decided to act upon it.

"Hey, Natsu? If you need some alone time, that's fine by me. Take your time and meet me at the station- just don't be late okay?"

She said whilst picking up Natsu's backpack and lugging it across her shoulder along with her own. As she began to walk away, she felt a comforting warmth wrap around her wrist. Surprised, she turned back to look at the dragon slayer, only to she him in exactly the same position with his arm out stretched. Dithering hopelessly, Lucy was unprepared for the sudden hug that Natsu pulled her into, letting out a short 'eeep!' of shock as she fell against his chest.

"N-Natsu?"

"Never..."

"Huh?"

Suddenly, the pink-haired mage whipped his head up from its downcast position and stared into Lucy's eyes, his orbs alive with anger, yet remaining caring. However, this anger wasn't the kind that he directed at enemies during battle. No, it was more like he was angry at _him self. _

"NEVER SAY ANYTHING LIKE THAT AGAIN! You _ARE _strong, you're not weak at all! You always fight alongside your nakama, even if it means risking your life! you've even saved _me _a couple of times! Like when Kain trapped me under those boulders or when I was about to fall into the crack on Grimoire Heart's ship! I NEED YOU LUCY, SO DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME!"

Lucy was stunned. Natsu's speech was much more than a simple declaration. It was a part of his heart, a part of his soul, and he's willingly offered it up to her when she was feeling down. The blonde was moved past the point of words. So instead of speaking, she wrapped her arms around him and they stood, oblivious to the world around them, having a loving moment. Eventually, the boy took her hand and the couple made their way to the train station.

Natsu and Lucy

Together

Just how it was meant to be.

* * *

**HEY PEOPLE IT'S MA B-DAY~~! Anyways, I can't upload for a while, check my profile for more details if you can be bothered. Sorry about my other story, Together Alone, I have a bit~ of writer's block :p anyways, yeah, well, since it's my birthday, I would like some gifts from you readers.**

**REVIEWS PLEASE!**

**LOL, thanks and I hope you enjoy the following chapters!**


	3. Chapter 3

**So, hey again! I know it's been a long time, but as I said in my previous chapter, I had a load of exams going on :P Haven't got the marks back yet, hope I did okay. Anyways, this isn't about me, it's about hardcore NaLu fluff fans! First misunderstanding scene here, me thinks, but it's resolved easily so never fear! Oh, and in that scene, I think that Natsu's really OOC, so sorry :P ON WITH THE SHOW I SAY!**

**I OWN NOTHING **

**But I wish I did. IMMENSELY. **

**btw, sorry this chapter's shorter than the previous two and I am afraid that I think that they will consistently be this size from now on :P**

* * *

Lucy sat next to Natsu in the train carriage, the plush red seats and constant rocking movement urging her to fall asleep. And, normally, she would. But, thanks to the World's biggest headache, the long yearned for refuge of dreamland was far beyond her grasp. Fidgeting in her seat in an attempt to make herself more comfortable and perhaps fall into a slumber, the blonde unknowingly snuggled into Natsu's side, curling her body up next to his and laying her head on his shoulder. In her frustrated state, Lucy took no notice of her new position, but it was quite another story for Natsu. He looked the opposite direction, a slight red colour dusting his cheeks as he tried to ignore his girlfriend. However, when he noticed that she was trying, and failing, much to her irritation, to sleep, he shyly wrapped an arm around her waist and drew her closer to his warm body. This snapped Lucy out of her haze of unawareness, and this brought a budding rose colour to her cheeks too. The pair sat in an awkward, yet comfortable silence, for about two minutes. That was when Lucy gave another whine of annoyance and began to lightly massage her temples. Blinking at her in confusion, Natsu asked,

"What's wrong, Luce?"

The blonde sighed and turned towards the dragon slayer, grateful for someone to listen to her.

"Nothing much, Natsu, I just _really _want to sleep, but apparently my brain decided that now was the perfect time to have a massive, mood-killing headache..."

She grumbled, before smiling at the boy.

"But, don't worry too much, okay?"

Natsu frowned. His brow furrowed as he thought about a way to relieve Lucy from her displeasure, when something Erza had said a while ago hit him. His face lighting up in the happiness that he thought of something, the boy turned towards the bewildered mage beside him. Acting on impulse, he grabbed Lucy around her waist and plopped her down onto his lap. The unsuspecting girl gave a little shriek as she was moved, a shriek of both terror and embarrassment. '_Oh God...' _thought Lucy as she sat on Natsu's legs and stared at his chest, determined not to meet his gaze so that her already crimson cheeks didn't darken in colour. '_I'm sitting on Natsu's LAP!' _Turning her head up, cheeks still flaming red, she looked at Natsu to see that he had realised what he had done and was now blushing too, locked into place.

"N-N-Natsu, wh-what i-is it?"

She stuttered, just about dying from embarrassment. A light bulb seemed to go off in his head as his mouth rounded into an 'o' and his eyes lit up with understanding.

"Oh yeah! Gimme a sec!"

He exclaimed, all traces of blushing gone from his cheeks, and Lucy too, began to grow accustomed to their position, the redness slowly draining from her face until it was its natural colour. Just when she finally felt comfortable, Natsu stared directly into her eyes and brought his hands to her face, the palms resting on her cheeks and the tips of her fingers grazing her temples. Lucy felt a rising blush and fought to keep it at bay as Natsu closed his eyes and brought his face closer to hers. Lucy's eyes widened. _Was he going to KISS her? _She wasn't sure if she wanted this. She loved Natsu with her entire being, but did she to kiss this early in their relationship? Should they leave it a few more days? And she'd blush like crazy! Just when she was about tell him about her conflicting emotions, Natsu's fingertips began to give off a soothing warmth on her temples and she realised his intentions. He was trying to warm her temples to relieve her from her headache. When he opened his eyes, he gave her the most loving smile she'd ever seen.

"Feel better now, Luce?"

She smiled back at him and answered,

"Yeah, thanks Natsu, that was sweet of you."

She gave him a quick peck in the cheek as a thanks and when she pulled away, she giggled at Natsu's cute facial expression. A blush was dancing on his cheeks and his eyes were wide, staring at Lucy as if she were an alien. Lucy snuggled into Natsu's chest and immediately a pair of strong arms wrapped around her. She smiled once before dozing off under her boyfriend's loving gaze.

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

Lucy woke up a when they were a few minutes away from their stop. She sat up and yawned, expecting to have been moved onto the carriage seat by Natsu, but was surprised when she woke up on said person's lap. The pink haired boy flashed her his signature toothy grin.

"Hiya, Luce! Sleep well?"

She gave him a smile, rubbing her eyes as she spoke to him to get rid of any remaining sleep.

"Yeah, great, thanks to you!"

The now wide awake blonde laughed heartily at Natsu's blush, and it only grew louder when he stammered,

"_L-Lucy~! _Don't! I-it's embarrassing~!"

Finally relenting, she snuggled into the crook of his neck.

"N'awwww, aren't you cute! Fine, I'll stop!"

"_Lucyyyy~!_"

She laughed and straightened up, before tilting her head as if she remembered something.

"Oh yeah, Natsu, why didn't you move me to the carriage seat? I mean, I must've been heavy, right?"

Natsu smiled at the blonde, who currently, in his opinion, looked ridiculously cute with her head tilted to one side and a small pout evident on her lips as she tried to work it out for herself. He chuckled, and mumured,

"Simple Luce..."

He encircled her waist with his strong arms as he spoke, hoping to earn a blush from the blonde. Apparently, sitting on his lap itself was much more intimate than a hug, so him hugging her in this position didn't really make a difference. Ah well- there'd be plenty of chances to see that blush.

"...I liked it. I love being close to you, so I struck gold when you fell asleep on my lap. Don't worry, you weren't heavy, no matter what Happy says! Oh, and you're cute when you're asleep~!"

He laughed as a blush rose to her cheeks, but unfortunately, it was gone just as fast as it arrived.

"Natsu~!"

"Hahaha, awww, who's the cute one now, huh?"

The pair laughed together, Natsu never once letting go of Lucy, until the train jolted to a stop. The unexpected movement threw Lucy towards Natsu, her forehead leaning against his and their noses touching as she put her hands on the seat either side of the pinkette's head so as to stop her moving further. Their lips were but millimeters apart. And Natsu still had his arms around Lucy. All in all, it was a very intimate position. The couple blushed hard and flew to separate ends of the cabin, their faces so hot they were practically steaming. Natsu broke the silence first, grabbing their bags and stuttering

"H-hey, w-we should p-probably g-go, t-th-the t-train's s-s-stopped and all t-the p-passengers are g-going!"

"Y-Yeah! L-let's go!"

The couple exited the train, both looking away from each other as they walked towards their hotel. '_Boy, that was embarrassing...' _they both thought.

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

The pair checked into their hotel and sat in their room in silence. They still hadn't spoken after the 'train incident' and the situation at the hotel register just made things worse...

**Flash back**

Natsu and Lucy arrived at the village's only hotel in silence, and found that despite the bandit problem, the hotel was teeming with people. Natsu dumped their baggage on the floor and was about to ask the woman on the register for two rooms when she squealed,

"OMIGOSHHH~! You're such a cute couple~!"

The pair blushed and looked in opposite directions, Lucy sweat dropping and thinking '_She's exactly like Mira..._'

"T-thanks! But, could we have two rooms please? Preferably on the same floor so that me and Luce can talk!"

At this the weird Mira-woman frowned and said

"Aww, I'm sorry you two, but the only room we have left is a couple suite!"

**Flash back end**

And that's how Lucy and Natsu ended up sharing not only a room but a bed. _Again_. If she didn't know better, Lucy would think that it was a curse that she had to spend many embarrassing nights in the same bed as Natsu. Eventually, the tension in the room got too much for the blonde to handle, and she grabbed her towel and mumbled something about 'having a bath'. She was about to walk past Natsu when a hand closed around her wrist, tugging her backwards into the dragon slayer's lap. She gave a little squeak and was about to protest until she saw that Natsu had his eyes covered by his bangs.

"Lucy..."

The blonde frowned at his tone. He was sad. She hated it when he was sad.

"Lucy... Please... Don't be mad... I'm sorry..._I'm sorry..._"

He whispered the last two words, his voice breaking. Lucy's eyes widened. Was he _crying_? Sure enough, droplets of water landed on her cheeks and that was it. She snapped. Lucy flung herself at him with such force that the pair landed on their backs on the bed, Lucy's arms wrapped tightly around the shivering frame of her boyfriend.

"_WHY ARE YOU SAYING SORRY? _It wasn't your fault, Natsu! It wasn't anyone's fault! I'm not mad at you, silly, I'm just...I'm just embarrassed!"

Her voice dropped in volume as she said those last few words, her own tears threatening to spill.

"Because Lucy, i-if I hadn't have been holding you it wouldn't have happened, and you'd still be talking to me, and we wouldn't be sitting here afraid to even look at one another! You have plenty of reasons to be mad at me!"

"Natsu...don't you understand...I can _never _be mad at you... I-I love you too much for that!"

And with that, she buried her head into his neck and sobbed. Natsu, whose tears had long since dried up, sat on the bed in utter shock, before hugging her tightly and rocking her back and forth, soothing her frayed nerves. He was surprised by the out right confession. So far, Lucy hadn't really blatantly said that she loved him, only the one time when he misunderstood her feelings and was about to leave her alone.

"Ssssh, Luce... It's okay... We won't let silly things like that get in the way of us anymore...ssshh... I love you too..."

After they had both stopped crying, the couple simply lay on their bed, comfortable in the presence of each other.

"We're such sillies, aren't we Luce?"

Chuckled Natsu, earning a smile from the celestial mage. After a while, Lucy got up and smiled at Natsu, who was still sprawled over the bed.

"I'm going to have a bath, okay Natsu? You order room service- just, don't go overboard okay? My wallet won't be able to handle it!"

She laughed at her own joke but was stopped when Nastu interjected,

"Nah, don't worry Luce, I'll pay!"

And with that, he wandered off to find the spacious room's phone, leaving a shocked Lucy rooted to the spot. _Natsu was paying? _What was the World coming to?

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

Lucy shrugged on her pajama top and took out her hair band, letting her hair flow out of their restraints.

"Aaah, that was so refreshing~!"

She sang to herself, before exiting the shared bathroom and going to find out what Natsu had ordered. The boy had decided to take a shower in the morning instead of at night as he always did-well, except for the times when he bathed at Lucy's. That was just at anytime he could sneak in. Lucy opened the door to the dining room (as it was a couple suite, the room was practically the size of her own apartment) to find Natsu setting the table, and surprisingly, a moderately sized romantic dinner on the polished wood, complete with scented candles. Lucy blinked. Then once more. Then pinched herself. This was _not _happening. _Natsu, _Natsu Dragneel, was setting up a romantic dinner, and was paying _with his own money! _

"What's gotten into you? First you decide that you're paying, then you set up a wonderful, romantic dinner for two?"

Lucy laughed and ruffled his rosy locks.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't like it though!"

Natsu looked back at her, blushed beet red, then looked to the side again, whilst stammering,

"Y-yeah, T-thanks!"

Lucy smirked and bent in such a way that Natsu could still see her.

"N'awww, what's wong wittle Natshoooo~?"

The boy blushed harder and rubbed his neck, still refusing to meet her gaze.

"N-Nothing, Luce! Hahahaha!"

He looked at her and briefly forced a smile, before looking away again and busying himself with some plates. Lucy frowned. Had she gone to far?

"Ne, Natsu, you're okay right? Sorry if I hurt your feelings or anything, but you know I was joking don't you?"

Natsu froze and turned around to face Lucy, the blush still evident on his face and, if anything, it had grown darker.

"I-I'm fine Luce, it's just that..."

He took a deep breath to steady his nerves and, in a shaky voice, said,

"I-I'm not used to seeing you with your hair down and...um...i-it looks...you look...err...YOULOOKREALLYBEAUTIFULLUCY!"

He blurted out all of a sudden. Lucy blinked and asked,

"Could you repeat that please, Natsu?"

"Errrm...y-you look really b-beautiful, L-Lucy...eheh..."

Lucy blinked again and looked blankly at the dithering boy in front of her before what he said sunk in. '_Natsu just called me beautiful..._' She blushed and walked towards him, noting that his blush intensified with each step. Thinking that he may not be comfortable with a full-on hug right now, she wrapped her arms around his muscular forearm and reached up to give him a quick peck on the cheek.

"Thank you, Natsu. No one's ever said anything like that to me before."

Natsu grinned down at her, still blushing, but he didn't care anymore.

"If that's true Luce, then why are you just hanging onto my arm?"

He laughed and swept her up in his arms, spinning them around as Lucy shrieked and flung her arms around his neck, hanging onto him for dear life. When he grew dizzy, the fire mage slowed to a stop and it seemed as though time itself had paused for the breathless couple. The pair blushed as they stared into one another's eyes and slowly, very slowly, Natsu started moving his head towards Lucy, and this time she had no doubts. Well, she had a couple, but right now she wanted to kiss him. Doubts could wait. The blonde closed her eyes and the dragon slayer copied her action as they drew ever nearer. When their lips were about to touch, a rapping from the door snapped them out of their little world. Both of their eyes flew open, and immediately the pair blushed. Lucy practically jumped out of Natsu's arms and rushed to open the door. Natsu sighed and collapsed onto one of the wooden chairs. '_Dammit... I was so close..._' he thought as he ran his hand through his pink tousles, frustrated. Lucy silently re-entered the room, placing what looked to be dessert on the table. '_Tch...if I hadn't ordered that, we would have..._' Natsu blushed as he thought about what would have happened had he not placed an order for dessert. Noticing that Lucy, who he had his back to, was still not talking, he started,

"H-hey, look, Lucy, I'm sorry I-"

That was as far as he got before some porcelain arms wrapped around his shoulders and he felt a weight on his crown, which he assumed to be Lucy's head.

"Silly Natsu, did you forget your promise already? We said we wouldn't let things like this get in between us anymore, so stop worrying, and besides, it's not always _your _fault!"

"But I-"

Again, he was cut off, this time by Lucy firmly placing her hand over his mouth.

"I'm not letting go until you promise not to feel bad."

Natsu rolled his eyes and nodded, indicating that he wouldn't take the blame- even though inside he still felt bad.

"Nuh-uh, I know you're faking, and this hand ain't leaving until you tell the truth!"

The pinkette blinked in surprise. How did she know? Even Happy couldn't tell when he was lying all the time. Inwardly, he smiled. Lucy always understood him. But he was really hungry and couldn't exactly tell Lucy how he felt, so the hand had to go. An idea popped into his head and he smirked evilly before poking his tongue out and licking the mage's hand

"EEEEYYAAAHHHH~!"

"HHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"NATSUUUUU!"

"WAAAAAAHH~! EVIL LUCY IS BACK! RUN AWAY~!"

Lucy chased the dragon slayer though the entire room, before rugby tackling him onto the bed. Once again they stared at each other, before bursting into peals of laughter. As Lucy clung to Natsu's vest, she rolled around, shaking uncontrollably with mirth. That is, before the bed disappeared from underneath her. She shrieked as she fell, and because she was still holding Natsu's vest, she pulled him along with her. As they fell, Natsu switched their positions so that he was below Lucy to prevent her from harm and took the brunt of the fall. As they lay tangled on the floor, they began laughing again, before making their way to the dining table to finally eat.

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

Lucy sighed and clambered into bed. She had eaten too much. Definitely. Oh well. It was okay to treat herself once in a while, right? Before she could try and persuade herself that she wasn't just fat for any longer, a warm body joined hers under the duvet and she blushed. Hard. Natsu, apparently able to see her vividly even in the dark, noticed this and frowned.

"Hey Lucy, I thought we talked about being embarrassed at times like these."

"Y-yeah, we did, it's just that normally, I fall asleep without you being there and only wake up with you beside me, so falling asleep with you is k-kinda hard...and embarrassing..."

She added in a quiet tone at the end. She, personally, didn't think she worded her sentence very well, but surprisingly, Natsu seemed to understand. He sighed and put his arms behind his head, facing the ceiling.

"Yeah, know what you mean. Normally you're asleep when I arrive, so right now I'm a bit embarrassed too!"

He chuckled softly after his statement, still not moving from his position. Lucy was actually shocked out of her skin. Natsu, _Natsu Dragneel, _is not only embarrassed, but he admitted to it! She smiled warmly. '_My little Natsu's finally growing up..._' Suddenly, the boy said,

"Hey, Luce, if it'll help you sleep, I won't hug you! Promise! So sleep, okay?"

"And why're you worried about me sleeping, but not yourself?"

"Because I don't want to be the reason you have a fitful sleep!"

Still smiling, she crawled over to him and hugged the confused boy tightly to her chest. Copying his words from earlier, she whispered,

"If that's true, Natsu, hug me you big idiot. I love you."

Natsu grinned so wide that Lucy was sure his cheeks would ache tomorrow. He moved himself up so that Lucy was curled tightly into his chest and was trapped there by his arms, which had tightly wound themselves around her petite frame. She blushed heavily and tried to hide it from her boyfriend by burying her head in his vest. (His pajamas were basically the same clothes he normally wore, but the colours were backwards, like when Zeref turned his scarf black) Natsu looked down at her and smirked at her obvious attempt to hide herself.

"You know, Luce, you look cute trying to hide your face like that."

"STOP IT, YOU!"

Natsu chuckled, before settling down to sleep.

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

This was Hell. Natsu was awake, trapped in bed, and sweating bullets. He was going to be dead meat- and even if Lucy didn't kill him when she woke up, he'd probably die of embarrassment anyway.

Take on a dark guild? No problem.

Defeat Jellal Ferdenanz? Pssshhh, easy!

Beat up a guy on a flying snake who could predict his every move? He's on it.

Wake up in the morning to find himself hugging Lucy tightly to his chest, his head on top of hers and their legs tangled in a very intimate position? Hell, **NO**.

The pinkette was blushing furiously as Lucy's arms wound her arms around him even tighter. Suddenly, she sighed and moved her head so that it was angled upwards, facing Natsu. It was then that sleeping Lucy thought it was a great idea to snuggle even closer to her boyfriend, effectively bringing their lips dangerously close. Natsu stared at her intensely, panicking, and was about to wake her up when the blonde's eyes fluttered open, caught blushing Natsu's gaze, realised their position, and blushed so hard she could rival the boy's own blush. Slowly unwinding her arms from around him and untangling their legs, she sat up and gave him a nervous smile.

"H-hey, Natsu! What time is it?"

Natsu felt relief wash over him as Lucy, though embarrassed, showed no signs of being angry, upset, or trying to avoid him. He smiled gratefully at her, and repiled,

"Around 8, I think. I'm going to shower, can you order please? Pleeeaseee~? I did yesterday!"

The celestial mage chuckled at his childish antics and ruffled his hair, causing him to pout. A smile evident in her voice, she laughed,

"There's no need to beg me, Natsu, I was going to anyway! Silly~! Now go shower! You stink!"

"Luceee~!"

Said mage giggled at the whining dragon slayer who was walking in the general direction of the bathroom. She stifled a yawn and clambered out of bed, crawling out of the comforting warmth of the duvet. She shuffled over to the telephone and ordered a plate of spaghetti for herself (she had no idea why she wanted spaghetti of all things as breakfast, but she was in a pasta mood) and some extra spicy chicken for Natsu, as the head chef did not deem it safe to make fire chicken. Thanking the guy who took her order, Lucy clunked the phone down and made her way towards her closet, intending to change. Just as she had chosen her clothes, however, she heard the bathroom door unlock and open slightly so that Natsu's sheepish, blushing face could poke out.

"H-hey Luce, I think I forgot my t-towel in there, so could you please pass it to me?"

The blonde blushed heavily. Though the door frame was hiding his lower body from her, she could see his toned chest and arms, the muscles rippling as he moved, water droplets trickling down the tanned skin, drawing her attention to the lines of his firm...

AAAAAH! What was she thinking? Blushing brighter than she ever thought possible, she nodded vigorously at Natsu, before running to fetch the towel. She returned grasping the fluffy white thing and gently tossed it to him, trying not to look at him for fear of losing herself again. As he caught the towel, Natsu mumbled a thanks and softly closed the bathroom door. Lucy immediately leaned against a wall and slowly slid down it, burying her head in her knees and groaning when she was sitting down.

"Damn you, Natsu..."

She whispered to herself, before the doorbell went. Sighing, she staggered to her feet and went to collect their breakfast, unbeknownst to a grinning Natsu listening in behind the bathroom door...

* * *

**Aaaamd, we leave it there, otherwise it'll go on for about 8000 words XD So yeah, chappies will be this size now, not really far off, about 600 words less? Anyways, Chapter 4 opens with... A FLUFFF SCENNNNEEE~! Though, as I am now working on Together Alone's next chappie too, it'll be slightly longer this time :P I apologise. Feel free to PM me and rage if you wish XD anyways, cyaaa~!**


	4. Chapter 4

**So, hey! Natsu's shy side comes out in this one! I personally find this chapter really sweet :3 Do you know why? It's cos, in this chapter, Lucy-mmph!**

**Lucy: LET THE READERS FIND OUT FOR THEMSELVES, IDIOT!**

**Blaze: Eheh, yeah, sorry! Wouldn't wanna ruin it! Bet you're looking forward to it, right?**

**Lucy: Um..err...*blush***

**Blaze: MUAHAHAHAHA! Oh yeah, thanks to GoldenRoseLuceTanya, The Fire Key, Yahiro365 and xBluieLovex for reviewing! Though it may seem selfish, I was kinda hoping for more... so can you guys please _please _review? I love seeing them! Thanks to everyone who favourited too! I was so happy! By the way, I wrote the song here myself, and I'm no lyricist, so don't expect much. Also, I haven't wrote for a month because I went to India, so it may be a little rusty :P Anyways, yeah, HERE WE GO! **

**Natsu: You forgot the disclaimer. Even _I'm _not that stupid.**

**Gray: Sure, flame brain, you keep telling yourself that.**

**Natsu: Hey! You wanna g-!**

**Blaze- SHUT UP, FIGHT OUTSIDE! Anyways, I own nothing, except for my OC, Abore Radix and the terrible lyrics to the songs!**

* * *

Lucy thanked the hotel staff member that had delivered their food before closing the door. She walked to the kitchen, her blonde lock swaying with every step. Setting the table for breakfast, Lucy began to sing a song her mother had wrote during her last week of life. Her sweet voice was full of emotion, the notes reverberating from the walls as she sang the sad song.

_I sit on the rooftop_  
_ Looking up into the sky_  
_ Forbidden tears well up inside_  
_ Whilst I sit with you, side by side_

_You gently squeeze my hand_  
_ As if to relieve my pain_  
_ But the growing void inside of me_  
_ Can't be killed, cannot be slain_

_The loneliness engulfing me_  
_ Is slowly swallowing me whole_  
_ Your comforting smile will never be_  
_ Enough to save this soul_

_We speak together casually_  
_ Just like it's always been_  
_ When suddenly the content look_  
_ From your face is wiped clean_

_'Lying is not believing'_  
_ You whisper in my ear_  
_ I try my best to block you out_  
_ I don't want to face my fear_

_'You know I'm not really here'_  
_ You say with a sad smile_  
_ The fortress around my emotions_  
_ Crumbling all the while_

_'That's not true, you're here right now!"_  
_ I shout as you shake your head _  
_ Tears fall down my cheeks as you say_  
_ 'Deep down, you know I'm dead'_

Lucy's eyes began to water as the last note of the song drew out, tears falling from her chocolate orbs as she smiled softly. Slowly, she wound her arms around herself and quietly sobbed. She always sang that song on her mother's death anniversary, and as she hadn't on the actual day, she had decided to sing it now. It was called 'I'm With You When I'm Not', and her mother had wrote it especially for her. It was because as a child, when her father didn't play with her, she would pretend that he was next to her. Layla hadn't wanted her to pretend that she was still alive, no matter how much it hurt that she wasn't. And Lucy, once matured, had realised and respected that. Smiling through the steady stream of tears, she was tempted to laugh at her naiveity. Lucy was about to allow herself to crumple to the floor, when a pair of strong arms wrapped themselves around her and gently pulled her back into a hug. Lucy realised via the heat that the unknown person was Natsu. Said boy leaned down and whispered in her ear,

"Just let it out, Luce."

And so she did. She wailed into her boyfriend's toned chest as the pinkette slowly maneuvered them both to the sofa, sitting himself down with Lucy on his lap, clutching his vest and sobbing. It broke his heart to see her like this. She must have been carrying this pain all along, but never let on. She was strong. And if the burden she carried finally became too much for her to handle on her own, he would be there to take the load from her and set it alight. He was no Prince Charming- but he was Natsu. And even though he wasn't the most perfect guy, he'd always be there for Lucy, offering his entire being up to her in her times of need. When Lucy's cries finally died down, Nastu spoke, still drawing comforting circles on her back.

"Why?"

Lucy looked up, surprised. What did he mean?

"Why didn't you tell me you were upset?"

Continued Natsu for Lucy's enlightenment. At his words, the blonde's eyes filled with tears she wouldn't allow to fall, and she slowly snuggled into her boyfriend's chest.

"I didn't want you to be sad because of me..."

Natsu was slightly shocked by Lucy's honesty. He was expecting her to say that she hadn't wanted to talk about it or something. Smiling softly down at her, the pinkette pulled his girlfriend closer to his chest and buried his head in her hair.

"Silly Lucy...I'm your boyfriend, worrying about you and sharing your sorrow is practically my job!"

He grinned at her when she once again lifted her head, this time her face free from tears and its usual healthy glow returning. Smiling shakily in response, she replied,

"Thanks Natsu, you're the best!"

Then, she hesitantly leaned forwards and kissed his forehead, her lips gone as quickly as they had arrived. When she pulled back, she found herself unable to hide her crimson cheeks due to a pair of arms, belonging to a slightly blushing Natsu, holding her firmly in place. So, she resorted to looking to the side, her flaming cheeks still visible. Suddenly, she felt a pair of chapped lips press against her hot skin and it took a few seconds for her to register that Natsu had just kissed her cheek. Her cheeks darkened to an even more intense shade of red and she tried to hide herself behind her hands. Much to the blonde's despair, her only method of hiding herself did not please Natsu, who growled and gently removed her hands from her red face.

"Don't hide yourself, Lucy! You're beautiful."

This only caused Lucy to blush harder, coaxing a chuckle from the pinkette.

"SH-SHUT UP, NATSU! Oh, and, you may want another shower- I kinda covered you with my tears... eheh..."

The boy frowned and playfully punched the celestial mage on her shoulder,

"Luuuceee~! Fine, I'll shower, but you better set the table!"

"Okay, okay!"

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

Lucy hummed happily as she danced around the kitchen, her hips swaying in time to the music. She smiled as she set down the plates for breakfast and flipped on the kettle as she passed it. Natsu always knew exactly how to cheer her up. Twirling around the kitchen, she began to sing once more, this time her face alight with happiness and the melodies dancing out from her mouth uplifting and bright. She was singing a song of happiness.

_"As if we were reeling, amongst the threads of memory  
As if we were collecting missing pieces to a puzzle  
The unwavering key to truth  
Is carved into each instant  
All the time I spend with you, only seen to be allies  
But words that angels decree have never been lies_

_When I turned back towards the voice whispering in my ear  
I opened the door, though unbeknownst to me  
We connected the conflicting truths of coincidence and inevitably  
Our two paths began to move  
Crossing one another time and time again  
Our eyes meeting every now and then_

_As if beckoned by the bird song  
I run towards the light  
Unknowingly tangling myself deeper in this web  
With every step I take  
Towards a world I know not about  
Flipping through the book of my future, void of any doubt  
_

_And every time I fall asleep  
From somewhere deep within my dream  
I hear a faint, yet nostalgic voice,  
Calling to me from the murky haze of memories..."  
_

"You know, you're an amazing singer. If you sing happy songs, that is- I hate it when you sing sad songs. What's the point of using such a beautiful voice to depress people?"

Surprised at the sudden interruption, Lucy turned towards the source of the voice to see a vest-less Natsu leaning against the doorway. It was kinda expected- I mean, who else randomly- wait a second, _vest-less_? The blonde blushed brilliantly as Natsu sauntered into the kitchen in all of his bare-chested glory. Quickly, she turned away and pretended to be busy with cleaning some 'dirty' plates, still blushing and oblivious to her boyfriend's smirk. He moved to where he was in her line of sight and flexed his biceps, wiggling his eyebrows as he asked,

"Like what you see?"

The girl blushed harder in response, lightly punching him as she stammered,

"Sh-shut up!"

"Come on, you know you do!"

"N-Natsu! Stop it!"

"Fine, fine, come on, let's eat!"

Glad that her boyfriend had finally relented, she sighed in relief and sat down at the table, Natsu sitting opposite her. It was a very small table, a little larger than a coffee table, so it was hard to put both of the plates on, but she'd managed. The pair sat in companionable silence, apart from Natsu's loud munching as he wolfed down his chicken. Soon he finished the dish, whilst Lucy was having trouble finishing her's due to the large portion size.

"Lucccyyyy~?"

"Mmhmm?"

"Did you order dessert?"

"No, why?"

"Aaaaawwww~! I'm still hungryyy~!"

"You can share this spaghetti with me if you want- I'm struggling to eat it all anyway."

"YAY! Thank you Luce, you're the best!"

Lucy smiled at her boyfriend's happiness over pasta and his efforts to eat with his fork because he was sharing with her. She wound some spaghetti on her fork at the same time as Natsu did, and just as she was about to eat it, he exclaimed,

"Hey Luce! Let's have a competition!"

"Sure Natsu, what do we have to do?"

She answered hesitantly, afraid of what it would be.

"Let's see who can slurp up their fork of spaghetti fastest!"

Lucy relaxed- that wasn't so bad. I mean, what could possibly go wrong? She nodded confidently in Natsu's direction.

"Sure- but I'm not gonna go easy on you!"

"P-lease! I'm an eating _machine_!"

They both lifted their forks to their mouths and began furiously sucking the spaghetti into their mouths.

"Phhooooooooo!"

"Shhhhllllluuuurrr!"

It was pretty much a draw until both locked eyes and started slurping as fast as they could- then it happened. Natsu was going faster, so he was concentrating on staying in the lead and Lucy was trying to catch up, therefore neither noticed something that could lead to a very embarrassing moment- they were both sucking at the same, very long piece of spaghetti. As both reached the 'end' of their strand, the piece of spaghetti lifted into the air and their lips came quickly closer. It was then that Natsu, who had looked up to check on Lucy's progress realised what they were about to unintentionally do and grabbed Lucy's shoulders as an indication to stop. The blonde looked up, surprised, to see how close their faces were and the piece of spaghetti in both of their mouths. She immediately blushed scarlet and tore her eyes away from Natsu. The pinkette, also sporting bright red cheeks, bit into the strand to separate them both, and Lucy followed suit, finally looking back at her boyfriend. Though the strand dropped from their mouths, the pair stayed in the same position, seemingly transfixed on the other's eyes. Slowly, Natsu started to close the distance between them and Lucy closed her eyes in anticipation. They were just about to touch, when the doorbell rang yet again. The couple snapped of their trance and blushed deeper than before, moving away from each other faster than they thought possible. Natsu quickly went to answer the door, and from the kitchen Lucy could hear his frustrated screams at what sounded like a hotel employee coming to collect their plates.

"Eerrr, Sir, I'm sorry for whatever I may have done..."

"DAMN STRAIGHT! YOU SHOULD BE! IF IT WASN'T FOR YOU, I WOULD'VE FINALLY-!"

Natsu's voice suddenly stopped, and from the dining table Lucy blushed crimson thinking about what he was about to say. After that, she heard her boyfriend sigh and say that he'd be right back, he was going to collect the plates. In her stunned state, she didn't realise that this would mean that he'd be coming back to the kitchen. Lifting a shaky hand, Lucy gently touched her lips and blushed harder, unaware to the fire mage staring at her with a gaze full of love and amazement. '_Just how damn cute can one girl get?_' he thought, watching her as she sat in her own little world. Slowly walking over to her, Natsu leant down and gently kissed her head before straightening up and collecting the dishes, trying to hide his blush. Lucy looked up sharply at the contact, blush deepening further when she saw who was there and what he'd just done. The pinkette scurried out and handed the plates to the man at the door, closing it with a soft 'click'.

"Damn it..."

He whispered, quiet so Lucy didn't hear him. When he returned, Lucy's head was in the same position, upright and staring into the space where he had stood, eyes wide and fingers on her lips. Slowly, she dragged her hand from her mouth up to the spot where he had kissed her and smiled shakily, blush still evident and dark as ever. '_Well, it's now or never!_' he told himself as he stepped into the kitchen, alerting the girl to his presence. At once, her head lifted again, and when she met the sight of a nervous Natsu standing, eyes downcast, at the doorway, her cheeks turned so red that it couldn't be called blushing anymore. Sensing her boyfriend's discomfort, she decided to speak first.

"W-What's up, N-Natsu?"

Natsu looked at the blushing girl, amazed. '_She's so selfless... just to save me the embarrassment, she spoke up first... I'm so lucky to have her, and I should make her feel like she's really precious, but I can't work up the courage! Damn it all!_' Natsu scowled inwardly, annoyed at how damn terrified he could be for something so easy. He sighed and sat on the chair opposite Lucy. His head remained upright for a minute, eyes looking at the bewildered blonde, gaze full of unsaid questions, before it crashed onto the table, shortly followed by a despondent groan. Seeing Natsu's dismal state, Lucy forgot all about her previous embarrassment and pushed away her seat, running over and kneeling beside him at break-neck speed.

"Natsu? Natsu, what's wrong? Are you sick? Hurt? Natsu?"

Her volume gradually increased with every question, until she was practically shouting. Still her boyfriend remained unresponsive, staring expressionlessly at the patterns on the wooden table.

"Natsu, please, say something! Anything! Tell me you're okay! NATSU~!"

She screamed with all her might, tears threatening to fall from her eyes. That was when Natsu's head shot up from the table and grabbed her shoulders once more, determination set into his eyes. He closed his eyes and quickly closed the short distance between the shocked blonde's lips and his own, lips pressing against hers gently. The girl tensed in his arms. The kiss wasn't hungry, craving for her- it was soft and full of his love. Gradually, Lucy relaxed into the kiss and tentatively wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck, closing her eyes as she leaned in. The kiss was chaste, short and sweet, little more than a peck on the lips. It barely lasted more than a few seconds- but it felt like hours to the couple. When they parted, Natsu looked uncertainly at Lucy. Said mage was blushing bright red, her entire face stained in a rosy colour- and she was looking at him. When their eyes met, the red on both of their cheeks blossomed to new heights, and Natsu looked away from his girlfriend, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

"Umm...err...s-sorry about that, i-it's just...um...I'LL BE RIGHT BACK!"

He said, before running into the refuge of the living room, leaving a dazed Lucy alone in the middle of the room.

PAGE~~~~~~(¬.¬~~~~~~)BREAK

Natsu sat on the floor in the middle of the room, legs crossed and head lowered and hands on his knees. '_What...what did I just do?_' He thought, and indeed, Natsu was quite stunned at his random, ten second boldness.

"Hey, Igneel, wherever you are, can you hear me out?"

He whispered into the air, oblivious to the person who had sneaked into the room. Natsu had always found that whenever he had a problem, talking to his missing father about it helped enormously.

"I kinda...lost control for a minute, if you get what I'm saying- I've been wanting to do that for a long time now, but I could never work up the courage to actually do it... and, well, being interrupted just when we were about to... k-kiss... three times, it got to me. Three times I gathered the courage to do it, and three times some stupid people ruin it! Third time's lucky my butt!"

Lucy's eyes widened as he heard what Natsu was saying- she was lurking in the shadows in the back of the room, having got over her momentary shock. '_Does he really care that much about me?_' The pinkette's words warmed the eavesdropper's heart- but her happiness plummeted when she heard the rest of his monologue.

"But I haven't messed things up have I, Igneel? I waited for so long to get the girl I loved, and have I just ruined my chances with her? I don't know if I can handle it if things get awkward between us again... it tore me apart last time... I can't lose someone else that I love! What do I do, Igneel?"

To Lucy's complete and utter shock, tears started to flow down Natsu's face. That was it. Something snapped inside her. She ran over to him and wrapped her arms around his quivering frame, holding him in a tight, loving hug. Natsu was startled when a pair of thin arms snaked around him and started rocking him back and forth.

"L-Lucy? Wha-?"

"How could you, Natsu?"

Immediately, Natsu's spirits dropped. '_Oh... she _is _mad at me..._' He lowered his head again and began to apologise, but he never got past the second word.

"Lucy I-"

"How could you even _think _that you'd ruined your chances with me?"

"Oh... wait. What?"

Lucy, still behind Natsu, buried her head in his hair and whispered,

"You don't have to do anything...I'll _always_ be there for you, so never, ever worry yourself over something like this again."

"Lucy..."

Natsu's voice was full of awe. How she always managed to cheer him up so effectively, it never failed to amaze him. It was as if she was a part of him, able to feel his emotions and read his thoughts. Natsu was so overwhelmed with his love for her that he turned around, grabbed her and pulled her onto his lap, Lucy giving out a short 'eep!' of surprise as she fell. He wasted no time and instantly pulled her small body close to his, holding her in a tight hug.

"E-eh? N-Natsu? I-is something wrong?"

"Please...stay like this a little longer. I need this."

Lucy smiled at the sincerity in his voice and nodded, embracing him and snuggling her head into the crook of his neck. She could feel Natsu's blush and she smiled, an evil plan quickly formulating in her mind. Quickly, she stuck her tongue out of her mouth and licked Natsu's ear, immediately feeling the rise in temperature, seeing as she was still sitting on his lap.

"L-L-LUCYYY~!"

"Kyahahaha! N'awww, wittle Natshoo's sho cuuuttttee~!"

"_Lucyyyyy~! _S-stop it!"

Natsu shouted out, trying and failing to keep his rising blush at bay. Hearing the girl on his lap laugh yet again, he decided that if he couldn't fight her, he'd join her. He smirked- that sounded like the best idea he'd had in a long time.

"Hey, Luce?"

Lucy stopped giggling abruptly, sensing that Natsu had his own trick up his sleeve. Proceeding with extreme caution, she replied

"Y-yes, Natsu?"

"Have you ever kissed a boy before?"

Natsu grinned when he sensed the girl's face growing hotter by the second. Oh boy, this was going to be fun! Lucy, however, had thoughts of completely the opposite nature- she was cursing her boyfriend's evilness with all the profanities she could possibly think of. It was quite colourful in her mind at that time, with such vivid language.

"W-why d-do you a-ask?"

"Oh, just wondering. So have you?"

Lucy blushed deep red and buried her head in his chest, answering in an embarrassed, muffled tone.

"N-n-n-no, I-I h-h-haven't..."

"Well then..."

Natsu brought his face closer to the blushing blonde's, leaning his forehead against hers as he smiled and murmured,

"I don't think that was a satisfactory first kiss. We'll just have to give it another go..."

Lucy's cheeks burned as Natsu inched closer, shortening the gap between them with each movement of his head towards hers, until his lips brushed against hers once more. This time the pinkette applied more pressure, moving his lips in a steady rhythm, causing the girl to blush even harder. Natsu smiled against her lips when she tried to match his pace, falteringly moving her mouth over his. Slowly, he drew his arms closer together and locked his girlfriend in a tighter hug, pulling her body as close to his as he could without causing her discomfort. Hesitantly, he licked her bottom lip, asking for entrance. Lucy, still unsure as to what she was meant to do, opened her mouth slightly and felt a hot tongue encouraging her by prodding her lips lightly. The searing warmth then entered her mouth, exploring its every nook and cranny. She felt Natsu's tongue poke and stroke her own, trying to get her to do the same. Shyly, she stroked it, doubtful of her skills and if what she was doing was right. Immediately Natsu's tongue wrapped around hers in an action of praise that made her gasp. The fire mage took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his tongue stimulating Lucy's as the girl struggled to keep up. Eventually, she just wrapped her arms around Natsu's neck, tangled her fingers in his hair and let the boy kiss her senseless. When they parted for much needed breath, Natsu smirked and breathed,

"Was that better?"

* * *

**:O THEY FINALLY DID IT! Soooo~? Did ya like it? Please tell me if the kiss scene was any good in your reviews! It's my first time ¬.¬ And my goal for this is forty reviews by the time I've finished, so please add to the total tally which is now 17 by reviewing! Also, thanks to all of those people who've favourited my story and me! I love you guys! *hugs and free cookies* Toodleoo, until next chapter!**


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